diff --git a/awx/main/dispatch/worker/base.py b/awx/main/dispatch/worker/base.py
index 74d2a6a6c3..c796e6162e 100644
--- a/awx/main/dispatch/worker/base.py
+++ b/awx/main/dispatch/worker/base.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import sys
 import redis
 import json
 import psycopg2
+import time
 from uuid import UUID
 from queue import Empty as QueueEmpty
 
@@ -116,18 +117,23 @@ class AWXConsumerRedis(AWXConsumerBase):
         super(AWXConsumerRedis, self).run(*args, **kwargs)
         self.worker.on_start()
 
-        queue = redis.Redis.from_url(settings.BROKER_URL)
+        time_to_sleep = 1
         while True:
-            try:
-                res = queue.blpop(self.queues)
-                res = json.loads(res[1])
-                self.process_task(res)
-            except redis.exceptions.RedisError:
-                logger.exception("encountered an error communicating with redis")
-            except (json.JSONDecodeError, KeyError):
-                logger.exception("failed to decode JSON message from redis")
-            if self.should_stop:
-                return
+            queue = redis.Redis.from_url(settings.BROKER_URL)
+            while True:
+                try:
+                    res = queue.blpop(self.queues)
+                    time_to_sleep = 1
+                    res = json.loads(res[1])
+                    self.process_task(res)
+                except redis.exceptions.RedisError:
+                    time_to_sleep = min(time_to_sleep*2, 30)
+                    logger.exception(f"encountered an error communicating with redis. Reconnect attempt in {time_to_sleep} seconds")
+                    time.sleep(time_to_sleep)
+                except (json.JSONDecodeError, KeyError):
+                    logger.exception("failed to decode JSON message from redis")
+                if self.should_stop:
+                    return
 
 
 class AWXConsumerPG(AWXConsumerBase):